If Only the Scottish Football Museum Were in Cheltenham

I'll be honeymooning in Dublin with Mr. Counterbalance starting October 1st. We
had planned to travel around Ireland by car (we've been told, repeatedly, that
this is the only way to see the country properly) and eventually make our way
(by plane or ferry or another as yet to be determined mode of transport) to
Edinburgh, Scotland sometime around the second week of October. We have a
Glasgow trip in mind. A little sojourn to Troon. Then there's Mr.
Counterbalance's much-anticipated visit to the National Scottish Football
Museum. All good Scottish fun.

However.

The Cheltenham
Literature Festival, which begins (October 5th) and ends
(October 14th) during our honeymoon, has me wondering if we shouldn't just skip
dear old Scotland and make our way to England to take part in the fun. The
line-up is incredible and it pains me to know I'll be oh so close to the action,
but won't be able to partake.

A quick scan of the 10-day
festival (that's right: ten.days. sort of puts our 2-day book festival to
shame, no?) reveals all sorts of interesting match-ups, discussions, and panels
that simply scream "ditch the honeymoon plans":

Also - I was strangely hooked on the Ewan McGregor/Charley Boorman
motorcycle tripping Long Way Round and so would be quite interested in
hearing
about their latest travels through South Africa

I would also very much like to see Margaret
Atwood, but she's doing the video thing again and will only be live via
video-link from Canada. Hardly worth re-routing the honeymoon for, eh?

While the festival blurb doesn't really sell it for me ("Ten days, 400
writers, 350 events; expand your mind, stretch your horizons, refresh your
inspiration and fire your imagination - we hope to see you there."), a
chance to see some of these writers in person certainly does.

Hmm...how to make it to England without Mr. Counterbalance noticing the
detour? A ferry from Cork perhaps...

Comments

If Only the Scottish Football Museum Were in Cheltenham

I'll be honeymooning in Dublin with Mr. Counterbalance starting October 1st. We
had planned to travel around Ireland by car (we've been told, repeatedly, that
this is the only way to see the country properly) and eventually make our way
(by plane or ferry or another as yet to be determined mode of transport) to
Edinburgh, Scotland sometime around the second week of October. We have a
Glasgow trip in mind. A little sojourn to Troon. Then there's Mr.
Counterbalance's much-anticipated visit to the National Scottish Football
Museum. All good Scottish fun.

However.

The Cheltenham
Literature Festival, which begins (October 5th) and ends
(October 14th) during our honeymoon, has me wondering if we shouldn't just skip
dear old Scotland and make our way to England to take part in the fun. The
line-up is incredible and it pains me to know I'll be oh so close to the action,
but won't be able to partake.

A quick scan of the 10-day
festival (that's right: ten.days. sort of puts our 2-day book festival to
shame, no?) reveals all sorts of interesting match-ups, discussions, and panels
that simply scream "ditch the honeymoon plans":

Also - I was strangely hooked on the Ewan McGregor/Charley Boorman
motorcycle tripping Long Way Round and so would be quite interested in
hearing
about their latest travels through South Africa

I would also very much like to see Margaret
Atwood, but she's doing the video thing again and will only be live via
video-link from Canada. Hardly worth re-routing the honeymoon for, eh?

While the festival blurb doesn't really sell it for me ("Ten days, 400
writers, 350 events; expand your mind, stretch your horizons, refresh your
inspiration and fire your imagination - we hope to see you there."), a
chance to see some of these writers in person certainly does.

Hmm...how to make it to England without Mr. Counterbalance noticing the
detour? A ferry from Cork perhaps...